"I have already thought about this, Moses; it is only the peasants who buy iron, old shoes, and our other things. We must undertake a city business for all classes--a business which will oblige citizens, soldiers and workmen to buy of us. That is what we must do." I looked at her in surprise. Sâfel, with his elbow on the table, was also listening. "It is all very well, Sorlé," I replied, "but what business is there which will oblige citizens, soldiers, everybody to buy of us--what business is there?" "Listen," said she; "if the gates are shut and the country people cannot enter, there will be no eggs, butter, fish, or anything in the market. People will have to live on salt meats and dried vegetables, flour, and all kinds of preserved articles. Those who have bought up these can sell them at their own price; they will grow rich." As I listened I was struck with astonishment. "Ah, Sorlé! Sorlé!" I exclaimed, "for thirty years you have been my comfort. Yes, you have crowned me with all sorts of blessings, and I have said a hundred times, 'A good wife is a diamond of pure water, and without flaw. A good wife is a rich treasure for her husband.' I have repeated it a hundred times. But now I know still better what you are worth, and esteem you still more highly." The more I thought of it, the more I perceived the wisdom of this advice. At length I said: "Sorlé, meat and flour, and everything which can be kept, are already in the storehouses, and the soldiers will not need such things for a long time, because their officers will have provided them. But what will be wanted is brandy, which men must have to massacre and exterminate each other in war, and brandy we will buy! We will have plenty of it in our cellar, we will sell it, and nobody else will have it. That is my idea!" "It is a good idea, Moses!" said she; "your reasons are good; I approve of them." "Then I will write," said I, "and we will invest everything in spirits of wine. We will add water ourselves, in proportion as people wish to pay for it. In this way the freight will be less than if it were brandy, for we shall not have to pay for the transportation of the water, which we have here." "That is well, Moses," she said. And so we agreed. Then I said to Sâfel: "You must not speak of this to any one." She answered for him: "There's no need of telling him that, Moses. Sâfel knows very well that this is between ourselves, and that our well-being depends upon it." The child for a long time resented my words: "You must not speak of this to any one." He was already full of good sense, and said to himself: "So my father thinks I am an idiot." This thought humiliated him. Some years afterward he told me of it, and I perceived that I had been wrong. Everybody has his notions. Children should not be humiliated in theirs, but rather upheld by their parents. III A CIRCUMCISION FEAST